“I think by the end of the week we’ll have about half or most of our top 10 picks signed or under agreement,” Elias said. “That’s my expectation. That doesn’t include our two players … at the (NCAA super regionals).”

Lefthanded pitcher Kent Emanuel (third round) and catcher Brian Holberton (ninth round) are members of the North Carolina squad that is playing in a decisive super regional game against South Carolina on Tuesday.

Elias said the Astros are “making a lot of rapid progress” with the players the team selected from the 11th through 40th rounds.

Porter invites Davis for BP

Manager Bo Porter invited Dynamo captain Brad Davis to watch batting practice at Safeco Field during the U.S. national team’s day off Wednesday night in Seattle.

“Have him come over to take batting practice,” Porter said. “But we don’t want anything to happen to him, though. If something happens to him in batting practice then he can’t play, that wouldn’t be good. Have him come over. We can have him watch, stand behind the cage and watch. Tell him for me that he’s invited.”

Davis and the U.S. team play a World Cup qualifier against Panama on Tuesday night at CenturyLink Field.

Davis plans to attend batting practice Wednesday.

Gonzalez eases into throwing

Astros righthander Edgar Gonzalez, who has been on the disabled list with right shoulder inflammation since May 26, is starting to play catch for the first time since he went on the DL.

“It’s nothing too serious,” he said. “It was just shoulder inflammation because of hard work, but thank God I’ve felt a lot better lately because of all the therapy that I’ve gone through daily over the last 10 days.

“I’ll play catch from 60 feet and go to day-to-day from there.”

Barnes returns to starting lineup

Astros center fielder Brandon Barnes was back in the lineup two days after he exited in the sixth inning with left hamstring tightness.

Barnes sat out the last game of the series against the Kansas City Royals, but he felt fine after running in the outfield prior to the series opener in Seattle on Monday.

“It was only one day off, so it’s not that big of a change,” he said. “I’m just ready to go out there and help the team any way I can. I knew it wasn’t bad. It wouldn’t loosen up. It was tight. I just knew I needed a little rest and it would be fine.”

Manager Bo Porter added: “It was actually probably good that we didn’t play him yesterday. Hopefully, it’s behind him and we’re able to move forward and not have any setbacks.”

Close encounter of the worst kind
Righthander Lucas Harrell introduced himself to U.S. national team striker Jozy Altidore in the hotel elevator Sunday.

“You’re Jozy Altidore,” Harrell said to the U.S. soccer player. “I play a lot of (the videogame) FIFA, so I know who you are.”

Harrell laughed when a teammate mockingly asked if Altidore recognized him from the MLB2K13 video game.

For the record, Altidore didn’t recognize Harrell or Hector Ambriz in the elevator.